Gokyo Chola Pass Trek

Early in the morning, at 1:00 AM, we will take a 3 to 4-hour drive from Kathmandu to Ramechhap, followed by a short flight to Lukla. Lukla Airport is one of the most treacherous airports in the world, serving as the gateway to Everest Base Camp. The short trip to Lukla will take you to the land of the highest peak in the world, “Mt Everest”. Reaching the vicinity known as The Land of Sherpa, you will be amazed by the nature around you. There are several hotels in Lukla offering a variety of breakfast and lunch options. We will eat and rest for a while and then head towards Phakding, a charming town, for around 2 to 3 hours. Stay overnight in Phakding.

After having breakfast in the morning at Phakding, we will head towards Namche Bazaar (3,440m). Namche Bazaar is frequently referred to as the capital of Khumbu and a market for the entire Everest region trek. We can discover hotels, lodges, resorts, bars, snooker halls, bakeries, trekking stores, and retail establishments, as well as essential items in Namche. It takes around 5 hours to reach Namche from Phakding, with the last part of the trek featuring a steep path. However, it is said that hard work pays off, so after that precarious walk, you will arrive at the Everest View Point in the middle of the uphill towards Namche. From this perspective, the scene of Everest can be seen. Decrease your pace, drink enough water, and proceed gradually to Namche, because, as the saying goes, “slow and steady always wins the race.”

Usually, this day is referred to as a rest day by many individuals in the trekking organization. Be that as it may, it ought to be called acclimatization day as one will trek the whole of Khumjung and Khunde towns on this day. Strolling for around 4 to 5 hours, we will complete a total visit or circuit of Namche today. The adventure of Namche includes the Sherpa Museum, Khumjung Airport, Everest View Hotel, Khumjung Village, Khunde Village, Hillary School, and Government Development Yak Farm. The walk will be delicate until you arrive at the head of Namche, as it becomes steep from there, with an elevation gain of about 400m before dropping back. It will help a ton with acclimatization for the further rise in the coming days.

We make a steep ascent up to Kyangjuma Village, then cross the Mong La Pass, which houses an ancient Chorten standing in the middle. The top of the Mong La serves you with the panoramic vistas of mountains. Spotting pheasants, mountain goats, and musk deer is not surprising along the way. After some more walking through the forests, waterfalls, and bridges, we arrive at Dole, where we spend the night.

The path is upwards in most of the region as we tread up to Lhabarma. We may find some summer settlements along the way as we remain mesmerized by the impressive views of Cho Oyu, Kantega, and Thamserku. The rumbling Dudh Koshi keeps us inspired as we walk uphill to Machherma. The first sighting of the Yeti took place in this very place, which boasts of the stream flowing down from Kyajo Ri and Phari Lapche through the village’s mid-point. We rest at Machherma for the night.

Another small yet beautiful part of this trek is passing through the banks of the Gokyo Lakes, specifically Gokyo First Lake and Gokyo Second Lake. Precisely before Gokyo Third Lake, there is a settlement of individuals in the form of teahouses and hotels, as nobody remains there for day-to-day living; everyone is there for business. However, individuals are incredibly decent, and you will appreciate the stay in Gokyo with a clear perspective of the emerald green Gokyo Third Lake directly before your dining window, and if you’re fortunate enough, even from your room.

We trek towards the focal point of the trip, i.e., Gokyo Ri. It is a steep climb that takes approximately three-quarters of an hour to complete. Still, the hard work is worth undertaking because once you reach the top, you will find yourself surrounded by the mightiest of the mighty mountains, including Kusum Kangru, Everest, Pumori, Nuptse, Makalu, and Lhotse. This image, we assure you, will remain in your memories until your last breath. We get back to Gokyo and walk to Thaknak for the night.

We have another challenging day ahead of us on our trip, as Cho La Pass involves a steep ascent and a glacier traverse on the eastern side, making the trail particularly slippery. Again, Mother Nature rewards us for our dedication as we find Ama Dablam to the south, Cholatse to the west, Lobuche to the east, and Baruntse to the north. We pass through some crevasses to reach Dzongla for the night.

Today, we walk down from Dzongla to cross a bridge, then follow the grassy paths while taking in the beautiful view of Lobuche. We finally reach Lobuche. Our trek will be a little shorter today, allowing for a relaxed observation of an astounding location.

The trail from Lobuche to Gorakshep is one of the shortest and most straightforward routes to cross, taking 2 to 2.5 hours with a flat route to the Lobuche Pass. The little yet steep path is available, with minor ups and downs ahead, until Gorakshep. Last but not least, our next trail is centered on the exploration of Everest Base Camp and Kalapatthar Trekking. After checking in at the hotel and eating, we will begin trekking to Everest Base Camp, leaving our backpacks there. Although the trek is gentle and flat, the elevation makes it challenging. At last, a few strolls to the ice sheet are expected to arrive at base camp. It is approximately a 4-hour walk from Gorakshep to reach our destination, Everest Base Camp. Getting a charge out of some time in Everest, we will go to Gorakshep.

Early dawn over the highest point of the world from Kala Patthar is one of the fundamental features of the Everest Base Camp Trek. To outline this minute, we will begin our climb up to Kala Patthar promptly at the start of the day. It will take approximately 2 to 2.5 hours to reach the summit of Kala Patthar. Contingent on the general time of sunrise, we will set ourselves up. After taking in the phenomenal perspective of the sunrise over the top of Mount Everest, we will descend to Gorakshep for breakfast and continue to Pheriche, following a similar trail up to Thukla. From there, we will diverge onto the downhill trail and follow the riverbank to Pheriche.

Enjoying the view of the rhododendrons and bragging about the stunning trek we had, we dive into Pangboche. The Dudh Koshi trail takes us to Sansa and then to Kyangjuma. At last, strolling through Chorten, we arrive at Namche Bazaar. We spend the night in Namche Bazaar.

After crossing several suspension bridges over the roaring Dudh Koshi River and its tributaries, and enjoying the rich package of local cultures, customs, and traditions, we descend to Lukla. We remain at Lukla to spend the night.

After enjoying, celebrating, and praising the goodbye at EBC with the porter, we will fly back to Kathmandu and return to the hotel in Thamel. Refreshing ourselves, we will give our bodies a chance to unwind. At night, we will have a farewell dinner, accompanied by feedback from the entire NEST ADVENTURE group and a cultural show during dinner.